TORONTO, ON – Bush Pilot Brewing, a new “gypsy brewery” in Ontario, has announced the debut of its first beer at a special charity event this coming weekend.

Led by the founders of beer, wine and spirits import agency Roland + Russell, Bush Pilot will be partnering with established breweries in Ontario to produce its beers, some of which will be created in collaboration with well-known brewers from the international craft brewing scene.

The first offering from this unique project is Stormy Monday, a spiced and barrel-aged barley wine brewed from a recipe developed by Anders Kissmeyer, formerly of Nørrebro Bryghus and now head of his own nomadic brewery, Kissmeyer Beer.

Stormy Monday was brewed using a large variety of spices and flavourings, including star anise, bitter orange peel, cocoa, cinnamon, dried fruit, vanilla beans, cardamom, juniper berries, maple syrup and more. Two batches were brewed – one at Niagara College Teaching Brewery and the other at Nickel Brook Brewery – and a portion was aged for over seven months in Calvados barrels sourced from Domaine Dupont in France before being blended back with a non-aged version to create the final product.

In advance of its release to the LCBO later this month, Bush Pilot Stormy Monday will be previewed this coming Sunday March 3rd at a fundraising event for United Chesed, a charity that provides support to those in the Jewish community who are suffering from short-term poverty and crisis. Tickets for the event, which will take place at 36 Harbord St. in Toronto from 8:30 to 11:30 PM, are $35, and can be reserved online or at 905-738-3339.

In addition to Stormy Monday, Roland + Russell will also be pouring samples of He’brew Jewbelation 16 and Southern Tier IPA, as well as Mackmyra First Edition single malt whisky. Drinks expert Ben Shillow will lead the tasting, and there will be live entertainment from jazz band KT Faction and kosher hors d’oeuvres.

Olds College Prairie Gold IPA

Light golden-copper with a very faint haze and a small, quick white head. Nice aroma of sharp but not obnoxious hops - citrus, blackcurrant, bit of pine - with a backing caramel sweetness. Flavour is well balanced, starting with barley candy sweetness, getting a big twiggy in the middle, and moving into a moderately bitter and pleasingly dry finish with orange peel and pine notes. There’s also a bit more boozy warmth toward the end than is ideal, but that’s not a deal-breaker - it’s a winning brew otherwise.